You can keep your fancy-pants Switch OLED Models, chum – for retro fans, the news that the GBA SP is getting a battery upgrade is arguably more exciting (‘arguably’ being the operative word here).

While older Nintendo systems like the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance have been subject to some really cool unofficial mods over the years – usually focused on overcoming inherent limitations with the crude screens they shipped with – these updates have often had a negative impact on the power consumption of the machines.

Case in point; we have a modded GBA SP in the office which has a gorgeous IPS panel fitted that offers brightness that’s beyond even what the legendary AGS-101 model is capable of, but the stock battery we had installed gave up the ghost after around an hour.

After around 15 years of use, the battery was probably ready for the scrapheap anyway, to be honest, but you get the picture – mods often result in reduced stamina. Even if you don’t have a modded console, the promise of extra battery life is clearly tempting – and while there are larger batteries available online, they often don’t match up with the advertised capacity.

Thank goodness then for UK company RetroSix, which not only supplies modded consoles but also sells a wide range of mods and accessories – including a new 900mAh battery for the GBA SP. We’ve been putting one of these through its paces recently and have come away very impressed; we managed to get over six hours of use out of a single charge on our IPS-modded GBA SP, which is far in excess of what we’d managed with previous aftermarket batteries purchased from the likes of eBay. If you’re running it on a standard GBA SP without a fancy new screen, RetroSix says you can expect as much as ten hours of use:

This Rechargeable Battery Pack delivers up to ten hours of non-stop fun on your Game Boy Advance SP system. Heavy duty real 900mAh rating and easy to install in your handheld. This is not a typical Chinese replacement with fake mAh ratings, but our very own battery from a reputable battery factory we get our CleanJuice batteries from.

The RetroSix battery is roughly the same size as the original, although we did note that it’s a tight squeeze getting it in and out of the GBA SP’s battery compartment – but it’s worth the effort, as it really does give your aging handheld a new lease of life.

RetroSix is ​​selling the 900mAh batteries for £ 10.30. If you’re in North America, then you can get them from RetroSix’s partner site, Handheld Legend, for $ 10.99.

Nintendo’s relevance in the gaming space cannot be overstated. We see their legacy today and it is a legacy that continues to grow. Of all the hardware the company has released, Nintendo has seven main consoles from the NES to Nintendo Switch.

Related: Every Nintendo Console Ranked By Weight

The following list reveals the best launch title for each of them. It’s no surprise that most of these are from heavy hitters like Mario or Zelda, but younger players might see a few surprises. Keep in mind that not all of the best titles on the system came out on the same day as the console, so gamers have had to hold back with less conventional games in the meantime.

7
NES – Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Unfortunately, record keeping and game preservation weren’t a high priority in the mid-1980s. As a result, it’s hard to say exactly when the Super Mario Bros. original came out. Many sources indicate that it is launched alongside the console, while others contradict this claim.

The console itself didn’t hit test markets until 1985 before seeing a wider release later. Either way, Super Mario Bros. was the first game to really show why the NES was so special. It revolutionized game design, made Mario a household name, and started a legacy that continues to this day. Fortunately, there are many more ways to play this game today than buying a console that’s almost forty years old.

6
SNES – Super Mario World (1991)

In North America, Super Mario World came with the purchase of the console. It’s nothing new to get a game with the console, but just imagine how nice it is to get one of the best 2D platformer games ever.

As impressive as Super Mario Bros. 3 was the swansong of the NES, Super Mario World was nothing short of amazing to watch, really showing the edge the console had over its predecessor. Second is F-Zero, which also showcased the awesome Mode 7 capabilities of the SNES.

5
Nintendo 64 – Super Mario 64 (1993)

Although not the first console with 3D capabilities, the Nintendo 64 revolutionized space with its analog stick. Super Mario 64 was released alongside the console to show other games how to do 3D properly. Not only was it beautiful to see, but the gameplay was absolutely flawless.

Related: The Best Worlds In Super Mario 64

It would take years for other games to catch up when it came to moving around 3D space. The game was later re-released on Nintendo DS, but the lack of an analog stick brought the game down. It was satisfying to see a re-release on Nintendo Switch, but the limited release was criticized.

4
GameCube – Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader (2001)

The GameCube had a curious launch lineup. Many were puzzled by the lack of a proper Mario game with the system, a first in the company’s history. While Luigi’s Mansion is doing well, Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader was a far more impressive technical showcase for the system.

The graphics were realistic and way beyond what could be done on a PS2. Even though the sequel is a worse game – mired in awkward walking segments – it includes the entirety of Rogue Squadron 2 as a local co-op experience. Graphics are also improved in this version.

3
Nintendo Wii – Wii Sports (2006)

The Nintendo Wii was a huge gamble that ultimately paid off for the company. The pack-in game, Wii Sports had to prove the viability of a console primarily based on motion controls.

Related: The Longest Wii Games & How Long They Take To Beat

The intuitive controls have helped people who have never touched a game have fun. More importantly, it worked well and felt good to control. Third-party games struggled to adapt to the single controller, but the Wii had some incredible first-party masterpieces like Super Mario Galaxy and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

2
Wii U – New Super Mario Bros U. (2012)

Nintendo has gone from a massively successful console to one of the most notable clunkers of the decade. The Wii U’s poor marketing and low range led to its untimely demise. It had 23 launch titles, but most of them were ports of older third-party games.

New Super Mario Bros. U is a good 2D platformer, but it doesn’t do anything groundbreaking with the series either. A more interesting Mario game will be released on console a year later with Super Mario 3D World.

1
Nintendo Switch – Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (2017)

The Nintendo Switch brought Nintendo back in full force with a hybrid console capable of playing the same games in the living room and on the go. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild proved the system’s capabilities by being by far the most magnificent game on a handheld console at the time.

It’s more than just a technical marvel; Breath of the Wild is often considered one of the best games of the decade, if not all time. It takes over a hundred hours to really see all there is to see in this game, which should keep you busy until the sequel is released.

Next: Weird Details You Never Knew About Zelda’s Epona

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There have been some incredible Nintendo consoles linked over the years, but some of the most curious have only been released in Japan.

If there is one thing that made Nintendo so successful in the early years, it was their pack-in strategy. Back then, they made some incredibly weird choices for promotions – just watch All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. This eventually spread to the consoles themselves, creating options that promoted their biggest titles, even other companies.

RELATED: Pokemon Console Variations You Didn’t Know About

Nintendo has managed to create some amazing console variations that any collector would be happy to get their hands on. Unfortunately for Western fans, many of them have remained exclusive to Japan for their first releases, making them hard to find.

ten ANA N64

This N64 comes with a special logo on the front with Pokémon Stadium and Hi you Pikachu. ANA, or All Nippon Airways, is a Japanese airline. These were ordered by Nintendo and were distributed randomly to passengers on flights. It is estimated that between 1000 and 5000 were made. However, only 99 appeared to have been donated.

9 Backstreet Boys Game Boy

This was commissioned for a radio network in Japan that was promoting the Backstreets Boys tour of Japan. There is nothing really remarkable about this old school Game Boy other than the name on it. However, as only fifty at most were made, this is quite a collector’s item. As an interesting aside, these boys never had a Game Boy game, but their rivals certainly did on Game Boy Color with NSYNC: meet at the show.

8 GameCube tank

It’s a huge package for Gundam fans. The GameCube and Zeon red facade is a great homage to the red comet aka Char. Even the controller is themed with.

RELATED: Every Nintendo Console Ranked By Its Launch Prices

Not only that, but this pack came with its mobile suit, the Zaku II. It’s easy to see why this never left Japan like most Gundam-themed consoles rarely do.

7 Metal Gear GameCube

This silver GameCube was designed to celebrate Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Shakes hit the console. It has a Foxhound front and it also comes with the game. Perhaps the most interesting inclusion in this set is a disc containing the first one. Metal gear. This would not be the first disc port of this game, because Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence I also had it and Metal Gear 2.

6 Kingdom Hearts GBA SP

This was done to celebrate Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories launch in Japan. The silver GBA SP has a logo embossed on the top and also came with the game. Nintendo and Square Enix have always been good with bundles in Japan. It’s just a shame that many of them remain exclusive. As for the game itself, it is underrated in the series for the only pixel perfect sprite work.

5 Battle Royal GBA SP

Like the Backstreet Boys Game Boy, this pack is quite odd. Even though this handheld has the Royal battle logo stamped on it, this was not ordered for the release of the first film. Instead, it probably came out in 2003, as that’s when the GBA SP line launched in addition to the next movie making its theatrical debut. This pack does not appear to come with anything other than the system itself.

4 Game Boy Micro Mother 3

Not only was this Game Boy Micro not released in North America, but neither was this game. Mother 3 is one of the most sought-after games in Nintendo’s library that Western fans have craved for an official translation since its launch in 2006. As for the system itself, it’s nothing flashy but it has the looks nice. These Game Boy Micro handhelds in general were underrated when they were released, which allowed them to see a very limited run.

3 Pepsi DS

Japan is crazy about Pepsi. Besides this DS collaboration, let’s not forget the PS1 game which was only released in Japan, Pepsi man. This pack didn’t come with a weird game like that though. The DS was blue with a small Pepsi logo on it. It also came with headphones and a case that were more on the brand than the console itself. This was a lottery prize in a Japanese competition and it is estimated that only a thousand of them were won at most.

2 SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu: Goddess of Destiny DSi

This DSi bundle was themed a remake. The game was a remake of Final Fantasy Legend II, or at least that’s how western fans knew him.

RELATED: Every Final Fantasy Legend & SaGa Game, Ranked

Since the beginning of this Game Boy series, Japan has always known it as SaGa. Aside from the history lessons, the system looks good with black on gold and it came with the game. SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu: Goddess of Destiny never released in the West although there is an English fan patch for it.

1 One Piece Unlimited World Red 3DS XL

Gold on black always looks good, but so does red on black A piece console proves. Japan is lousy with various anime-related Nintendo and PlayStation bundles that never seem to come out here. On the bright side, the game at least in this case has arrived. In terms of a console variant, this 3DS XL might be the best if not one of the best the series has ever seen. The pack comes with the game as well as costume DLC.

NEXT: Canceled Nintendo Games You Didn’t Know About

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